


Xenolith

by FanficAllergy, RoseFyre



Series: Hunger Games Soulmate Fics [4]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gift Fic, In Panem AU, Multi, No Sex, Polyamory, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, We win, and that's just ew, because they're too young, yes we actually found a word starting with X that would work for a title
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-06
Updated: 2015-11-06
Packaged: 2018-04-30 08:12:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5156546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanficAllergy/pseuds/FanficAllergy, https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseFyre/pseuds/RoseFyre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katniss always knew she was different.  Special.  Born with two soulmarks, she always dreamed of finding love like her parents.  She just hoped that she'd find them both together not one right after the other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Xenolith

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ldyglfr62](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ldyglfr62/gifts).
  * Inspired by [write love on my skin](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1835587) by [amusewithaview](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amusewithaview/pseuds/amusewithaview). 



> Disclaimer: The Hunger Games Trilogy is property of Suzanne Collins. This is a parody fanwork by fans for fans. No money was made off of the creation of this fanwork.

**oOo**

 

_Xenolith: a piece of rock of different origin from the igneous rock in which it is embedded_

 

**oOo**

 

Katniss was dying.

 

Part of her welcomed it.  It would be an end to her pain.

 

But another part, a greater part, didn’t want to die.  Not just because she’d leave Prim or her mother behind, although to be fair that was part of it, but more because she would never meet her soulmates.  

 

Leaning against the tree, she wondered if their marks would fade like her mother’s did when her father died.  She wondered if her father would be waiting for her when she finally succumbed to the icy cold fingers of death.  She wondered how long it would take.

 

She stared at the bakery, drinking in the delicious smells of freshly baked bread, and waited.  The baker’s wife had already yelled at her.  Screamed at her to get away from the trash bins.  And so she’d retreated to the apple tree, sinking to the ground in despair.

 

It wouldn’t be long now.

 

Inside, she heard a ruckus.  She looked up curiously.

 

The baker’s wife shouted, “No one will buy burned bread!” to someone.  Then came the unmistakable sound of a hand meeting flesh.  “You feed that to the pigs, you hear?  The pigs.  No one else!”

 

Two seconds later, she saw the baker’s youngest stumble out, his arms still steaming from the temperature difference.  In his hands were two burnt loaves of bread.  His blue eyes met hers and he made a motion with his hands.  

 

She didn’t understand.

 

Glancing over his shoulder, he quickly threw both loaves at her before dashing back inside.

 

Katniss didn’t waste any time.  

 

Darting forward, she grabbed the bread that was still warm from the ovens and ran as if she had a Career chasing her all the way back to her rickety house in the Seam.

 

There, she unwrapped the two loaves and stared at them in wonder.

 

“Katniss?  Where’d you get those?” her baby sister asked, coming up beside her.

 

“I think they might be from my soulmate.”

 

**oOo**

 

Soulmarks were rare in Panem.  Most people didn’t have them, and the government tried to pretend they didn’t exist.

 

But everyone knew they did.

 

Haymitch Abernathy’s revelation that Maysilee Donner was his soulmate reinforced their continued existence.  Ever since the Quarter Quell, there’d been an increase in soulmate dramas airing on the Capitol-run television.  In most, the relationship ended tragically.  They touted the government endorsed message that such superstitions were unhealthy and damaging to society.

 

Katniss herself knew different.  

 

Her parents had been soulmates.  She’d seen just how much in love they were.  How happy they were.  How her mother’s eyes would light up every time her father entered the room.  How her father’s voice became more husky when he greeted his wife.  It was beautiful.  Enchanting.  

 

She wanted that for herself.  And luckily for her, she had a chance to get it.

 

Katniss was born with two soulmarks.

 

A phenomenon so unbelievable that no one had ever heard of it.  Not even her parents.  

 

When she was old enough, she asked them, “Does this mean I’m gonna have two at once?”  She kind of liked that idea.  Two people meant that she wouldn’t get cold at night.  That she’d always have someone to play with.  

 

Her father shook his head.  “I don’t know, Tadpole.  Could mean you meet one after the other.”

 

“You mean like one’ll die and then I’ll meet another one?”  Katniss didn’t like this possibility.  She didn’t want her soulmate to die.  

 

“Possibly.  Or it could mean you meet them both at the same time.  There’s just no way to know.  You’ll have to wait and see.”

 

“But I don’t wanna wait!”  She was greedy.  She wanted them both.  Right now!

 

Her father laughed.  “Good things come to those who wait,” he said, looking over at her mother, his eyes warm.

 

Her mother reached out to run her fingers under her father’s collar where his words were hidden.  “That’s right.  They do.”

 

**oOo**

 

The day after Peeta Mellark saved her life, Katniss stood by the front gates of the schoolyard, waiting for him to come out.  She’d sent Prim home alone, even though their mom wasn’t fully recovered quite yet.  But she needed to do this and she didn’t need her little sister watching.

 

She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, trying to figure out just what to say.  ‘Thank you’ just didn’t seem enough, but she couldn’t seem to think of anything else.  Just what do you say to the person who saved not only you, but your whole family?

 

She saw him come out of the building, chattering happily with his friends.  Their eyes met across the schoolyard.  

 

Katniss froze.

 

A couple of his friends noticed, punching the boy’s arm.  “Looks like you’ve got a secret admirer.”

 

“Knock it off, Wally.”

 

“Whoa!  Sounds like someone’s got a crush.”

 

Peeta’s eyes narrowed.  “I’ll crush you if you don’t knock it off.”

 

His friends took the hint.

 

Katniss wished she could sink into the ground, or maybe run away.  She hated this kind of attention, but she hated not knowing more.

 

Peeta took a few hesitant steps toward her, opening his mouth to say something.  Probably the wrong thing.

 

Katniss couldn’t let him.  

 

“Thank you!” she said, blurting the words out.  

 

He stared at her.

 

So she decided to push forward.  “For the bread, I mean.  Thank you.”

 

Peeta shook his head.  “You don’t have to thank me… I had to do it… I should’ve given you more.”

 

Her heart started pounding in her chest and her eyes leapt to meet his.  “It is you,” she breathed.  “I thought it might be.”

 

Peeta staggered back.  “You mean… you’re, you’re my soulmate?”

 

Katniss looked away, nodding shyly.

 

“Oh my gosh!  That - I can’t believe it.  I mean, I dreamed about it, and I wanted it for so long, I mean - I love you, Katniss!”  The words tumbled out in a rush.  “I, I’ve loved you for a long time.  I just can’t believe that, that you’re it.  That you’re my soulmate!”

 

He hugged her tightly.

 

Katniss returned it, just happy to finally find one of her soulmates.  She flushed guiltily, thinking of her other soulmark.  She hoped *That’s dangerous.* would understand.  She needed Peeta right now.  

 

He was her hope.  

 

“I’m sorry!” Peeta exclaimed, pulling away.  “I should have asked for permission first.  I’m just excited, you know.  I mean, I’ve dreamed of this day, but I never thought it’d be you.  I want it to be!  I really really wanted it to be!  I’m just not saying it very well!”  He paused.  “I’m probably saying too much.”

 

She shook her head.  “I think you’re saying it just fine, Peeta,” she said, feeling the blush staining her cheeks.  “I should probably go.”

 

“No!  No!  I need to take you home!” he protested.  “My parents’ll be so excited to meet you!  I think they’ve been planning my wedding since I was born.”

 

Katniss furrowed her brow.  Wasn’t she younger than Peeta?  Shouldn’t her words have appeared after Peeta was born?  She shrugged internally.  He was probably just exaggerating.

 

He grabbed her hand, tugging her in the direction of the bakery.  “Come on!”

 

She followed him, glancing nervously at the windows of the merchant houses.  They seemed to be judging her: ‘Look at that Seam girl with her worn pants and patched jacket.  She doesn’t fit in here.’  She wished Peeta would’ve let her go home.  She should’ve combed her hair before she met him.  She could see tendrils escaping from her braid.  She wasn’t fit to meet anyone’s parents.  Least of all her merchant soulmate’s.  

 

Glancing down at her feet, she said, “Are you sure about this?  Shouldn’t we wait?”

 

“No way!  I’m sure they’ll love you!”

 

Katniss kind of doubted it, but she didn’t want to dash his hopes.

 

When they entered the bakery, Katniss’s fears were solidified.

 

“What is that doing here?”  His mother wrinkled her nose like she smelled something foul.  

 

“This is Katniss, Mom.”

 

“I didn’t ask what its name was, I asked what it was doing here.”

 

Peeta seemed taken aback and fumbled over his next words.  “She’s my soulmate, Mom.  I met her today.”

 

Mrs. Mellark recoiled.  “That thing is your soulmate?”

 

“I’m not a thing,” Katniss said, speaking up for the first time.

 

“Don’t speak unless you’re spoken to, girl.”  The woman’s eyes glittered dangerously.

 

“She’s not a thing, Mom,” Peeta defended.  “She’s my soulmate.  Aren’t you happy for me?”

 

“No.  I refuse to believe it.  Maybe that’s why you have two soulmarks.  Fate realized this one would be inferior.”

 

Katniss looked at Peeta, who flushed nervously.

 

“I’m not giving up Katniss.”

 

“Yes you are.”  There was no compromise in her tone.  

 

“No way!  You can’t make me!”

 

“I am your mother.  And while you live under my roof, no son of mine is going to have a piece of Seam trash for a soulmate.”

 

“You can’t change fate, Mom!”  Peeta cried.  “Katniss is my soulmate.  I’m not giving her up!”

 

“Then get out.”  The words were quiet.  Deadly.

 

“What?”

 

“You heard me.  Get!  Out!”  She glared at her son.  “You want to throw your life away on some piece of tail who’s probably already got a line of boyfriends at the slag heap waiting for her, then I refuse to support you.  Get out of my house, Peeta.  You’re no longer my son.”

 

Both of them stared at Peeta’s mother in disbelief.  Katniss couldn’t believe that any parent would treat their child this way.

 

“Are you going to go?” Mrs. Mellark sneered.  “Or do I need to call the Peacekeepers?”

 

Katniss tugged Peeta’s hand.  “Come on.  You can stay with me,” she said, leading him away.  She couldn’t understand why his mother was so angry.  Soulmarks were good things.  Her parents said so.  But she wasn’t about to attract the Peacekeepers’ attention if she could avoid it.

 

Peeta followed her in shock.  

 

As they left the bakery, Katniss saw Peeta’s father peeking out from the back room.  She wondered why he didn’t say anything in defense of his son, but she didn’t dare stop to ask.  Her mother was still out of it and Prim was still young.  The last thing they needed was to end up in the Community Home.

 

As soon as they got outside, Katniss pulled Peeta into her arms for a hug.  “I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s not your fault.”  

 

No, it was his mother’s fault, but she didn’t say that.  “I’m sorry I’m from the Seam.”

 

“I’m not,” Peeta said thickly.  He pulled back from her, his hands moving to stroke her braid.  “I’m glad you’re my soulmate.”

 

“I am too,” Katniss said.  “We’ll figure something out.  Together.”

 

**oOo**

 

The two kids made the long trek back to Katniss’s house in the Seam, dragging their feet the whole way.

 

“I’m sorry about your mom,” Katniss said again.  “I mean, if you don’t want to be my soul--”

 

“No!  How many times do I gotta say it?  I’m happy with you.”

 

“I know but, I just feel really bad.  Like it’s my fault.”  She’d never been any good with words and now wasn’t any different.  

 

“It’s not your fault.”

 

She still felt bad.  And even worse, how was she going to feed them all?  She’d already had enough trouble with just her and her mother and Prim.  Even if her mother was starting to come back, Peeta was still an extra person.  Katniss looked away, unsure of what to do.  

 

Something bright and yellow caught her eye.  “A dandelion!”

 

“What?”

 

“Look, Peeta!”  She tugged on his hand.  “It’s a dandelion!”

 

He looked at her, confused.  “Yeah?  So?”

 

“You can eat them, silly!”

 

“You can?”

 

“Yeah!  And not just dandelions!  You can eat cattails and, and,” Katniss’s mind raced, trying to remember all of the different kinds of plants her father had pointed out.  “And lots more!  There’s lots and lots of things we can eat.”  She grabbed Peeta’s hand.  “Come on!  My family’s got a book!  I’ll show you.”

 

When they reached Katniss’s house, Katniss ran into the bedroom and grabbed the tattered plant book from the dresser.  Coming back out to the main room, she sat down at the table and motioned for Peeta to take a seat next to her.  

 

She opened it up, pointing to the page, “Look!  See, it says dandelions.  You can eat the leaves and flowers and the roots make a good tea.”  She flipped the page.  “And here’s one on my namesake,” she pointed to the katniss.  “You can forage ‘em all year round and the roots taste as good as any potato.”

 

Peeta peered at it, reading her father’s neat writing.  “Wow!  This is really neat.”

 

“Yeah!  It’s gonna keep us alive!”  Then another thought hit her.  “I bet I can hunt. My father was teaching me.  And we can make nets!  The fish’ll be waking up soon.  And the butcher always likes to trade for fresh fish.”

 

“That’s great, Katniss!”  He paused, turning to her with wide eyes.  “Wait.  You know how to hunt?”

 

“Oops.”  She covered her mouth with her hands.  “I’m not supposed to say that.”

 

He pulled her hands away.  “It’s okay, we’re soulmates.  You can tell me everything.”

 

She nodded her head.  “I can hunt.  My daddy taught me.”

 

“Outside the fence?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Whoa,” he said in a voice filled with awe.  “Can I help?”

 

“Sure!  I can take you out with me.”  Another thought hit her.  “In fact, we can go to the Meadow right now and get dandelion greens.”

 

“That’s not gonna be very filling,” he said, thoughtfully.

 

“Better than nothing.”

 

He nodded.  “I think tomorrow I should go take out tesserae.”

 

“Will they let you?” she asked, referring to both the Peacekeepers and Peeta’s parents.

 

Peeta shrugged.  “They can’t stop me.”

 

Katniss wanted to tell him he shouldn’t, but the cupboards were bare.  Only Peeta’s gift yesterday had saved them from starvation.  “I’m gonna take out tesserae too,” she said instead.  “I just gotta wait ‘til I turn twelve.”

 

“Then it’s only fair, we should both take out tesserae.”

 

“Yeah, but you’re not living with your family.”

 

“I don’t think they care.  Besides, it’s not like my family wants me anyway.”

 

“I want you,” she said, slipping her arms around him.  “You’re my family.”

 

“You’re my family too.”

 

**oOo**

 

Katniss went to the Meadow, taking Prim with her, to gather dandelion greens, while Peeta took Prim’s little wagon to the Justice Building to sign up for tesserae before his mother did anything cruel, like sign up for him.

 

After they finished their errands, Katniss introduced Peeta to the rest of her family.  

 

Prim seemed excited.  “I’ve always wanted a big brother!”

 

He bopped her on the nose.  “And I’ve always wanted to be a big brother.”

 

“Are you going to be living with us?”  Katniss’s mother looked up from her bowl of mush.  

 

“If that’s okay, ma’am.”  Peeta’s cheeks reddened.  

 

“His mother kicked him out, Mom,” Katniss explained hurriedly.  She didn’t want her mother to get the wrong idea.  “She was really mean.  He doesn’t got any place else to go.  Please don’t kick him out!  He’s my soulmate!”

 

Her mother nodded.  “I understand.  My parents did the same thing when they found out about me and Solomon.  You’re welcome in my house, Peeta.”  Her voice was warm.  

 

“Thank you,” Peeta said, his eyes welling with tears.

 

**oOo**

 

That night, before they went to bed, they worked out sleeping arrangements.  Her mother decided that she and Peeta would start sleeping together.  They only had the two beds, and it made more sense for Peeta to sleep with her than with her mother or Prim.

 

“However,” her mother said, “I expect you two just to sleep.  Nothing more until after your final Reaping.”

 

The two pre-teens looked at her, confused.  “What else would we do other than sleep?”

 

Her mother chuckled.  “Oh, so much more.  But that’s a conversation for when you’re older.”

 

“Okay.  Mrs. Everdeen,” Peeta asked with an earnest expression, “is it okay if I kiss Katniss or give her a hug or hold her hand?”  He blushed.  “I like to hold her hand.”

 

“Only if she’s okay with it,” her mother answered.  “The same goes for you, Katniss.  You can do the same, but only if Peeta’s okay with it.”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

The two got ready for bed, Peeta wearing an old nightshirt of Mr. Everdeen’s that was too worn to sell.  It came down to his ankles, the neckline slipping off of one shoulder.

 

They’d have to find him more clothes, Katniss thought.  He couldn’t wear the same thing every day.  

 

The two lay in bed, talking in low tones.  

 

“I hope you’ll be happy here,” Katniss told him, reaching out to press her hand to his cheek.  “I promise not to let you starve.”

 

Peeta covered her hand with his.  “I am happy.  And I promise to always make sure that there’s food in your belly.”

 

Something that had been bothering Katniss since his mother’s tirade finally pushed its way to the front of her brain.  “Do you... do you got another soulmate?”

 

Peeta blushed and looked away.  “Yeah,” he said, mumbling under his breath. “I’m sorry.”

 

“That’s okay,” Katniss reassured him.  “I got another one too.”

 

“You do?”  His eyes flew to hers.  

 

“Uh huh.”

 

“Maybe we got the same one!  We should check.”

 

Katniss held up her wrist, bearing bright blue letters with the words _*_ _That’s dangerous._ _*_  “What about you?”

 

Peeta pulled his nightshirt up, revealing the top of his left thigh and words in the same color and handwriting as Katniss’s.   _*_ _No way .*_

 

“That’s not very useful,” Katniss said, making a face.

 

“They’re better than yours.”  He paused, realizing what he’d said.  “I mean… they’re more distinct!  Not something you hear everyday!”

 

“Huh?”

 

Peeta pulled his shirt up to reveal the words *Thank you.* arching over his belly in dark green.  “You know how many times I heard thank you?”

 

“I’m sorry.”  

 

“So where are my words?”

 

Katniss pulled her nightgown up.  Spiraling out from around her navel was Peeta’s babbling.  “I thought it might be you, after you gave me the bread,” she said.  “That’s why I was waiting for you today.”

 

“Can I touch ‘em?” Peeta asked.

 

“Course you can.  They’re your words.”

 

Peeta reached a hand out and lightly traced the sunset orange words.

 

Katniss gasped.

 

“Does that tickle?”

 

“Kinda.  A little?” she said.  “It feels weird, but a good weird.”

 

At that moment, her mother walked in.  “Looks like we’ll be having that talk a little sooner than I’d expected.”

 

**oOo**

 

There was a knock on the door early the following morning.

 

Katniss’s mother got up, throwing on a robe, and said, “You kids stay here.”  

 

Early morning knocks were never good, and whoever was there was most likely looking for her mother anyway.

 

Katniss could hear a man’s voice on the other side and she rolled over to look at Peeta.  “You think it’s a Peacekeeper?”

 

“I don’t know.  Maybe,” he whispered back.  “I hope we’re not in trouble.”

 

A few moments later, Katniss’s mother came into the bedroom.  “Peeta, there’s someone here who wants to talk to you.”

 

“Who?” Katniss said, placing herself protectively in front of her soulmate.

 

“His father.”

 

Katniss didn’t move.  “What’s he want?”

 

“That’s between him and Peeta, Katniss.”

 

“Nuh uh!  He’s one of my soulmates.  Until we find our third, him and me, we’re a team!”

 

Peeta nodded in agreement.

 

Her mother sighed, but didn’t argue.

 

The two adolescents and Mrs. Everdeen went out into the main room, still dressed in their pajamas, to find Mr. Mellark standing in the doorway.  “Peeta,” he said awkwardly.

 

“Father.”

 

The man flinched at his son’s hard tone.  “I’m sorry, son.”

 

“You should be!” Katniss interjected.  “You let his mother hit him!  You let her kick him out!  I thought parents were supposed to protect their children!”

 

“It’s not that simple,” he told her.

 

Katniss just crossed her arms, glaring at the man.

 

“Why are you here, Father?”  Peeta asked, his tone wary.  “Won’t Mother be upset?”

 

The baker sighed.  “Probably, but I’ll take it.  I just wanted to bring you your things.  They’re on the cart outside.  I tried to pack up as much as I could.  And there’s a little money for you.  Not a lot.  She’ll notice if too much is gone.”  He babbled in the same way as his son, and now Katniss knew who Peeta got it from.

 

Not that it made her any less mad at him.  “Why can’t Peeta go home?”

 

The man wrung his hands.  “Muffi’s the one who actually owns the bakery.  It’s her family’s business.  I even took her last name when we got married,” he explained.  “I’m afraid there isn’t anything I can do.”  He turned to his son.  “I’m sorry, Peeta.  I’m sorry you had to take out tesserae.”

 

“How’d you know that?”  Peeta asked.  

 

“Muffi told me.”

 

“And how’d she know?”  Katniss’s voice was hard.

 

“I think you know how.”

 

Peeta sighed.  “Mom signed me up, didn’t she?”

 

“She tried to.”

 

“That’s cruel,” Mrs. Everdeen stated, “even for Muffin.  I don’t know what you saw in that woman, Myron.”

 

The man smiled ruefully at her mother.  “She was there, Lily.  She was there when I needed her.”  He turned to his son.  “I’m glad you found your soulmate, Peet.  Take care of each other.”

 

**oOo**

 

It didn’t take long for Peeta to become an established part of their household.  It took a little longer for their neighbors to accept him.  Everyone in the Seam knew everyone else, and they didn’t know him.  But eventually he earned their respect, and later trust.  Especially when they saw him hauling Prim’s little red wagon filled to the brim with tesserae rations.

 

It was over tesserae that Katniss and Peeta had their first real fight.

 

It was a couple of days before her birthday and Peeta innocently asked her what her plans were.

 

“I plan on signing up for tesserae,” she told him.  “Then maybe spending the day in the Meadow.”

 

“Why are you signing up for tesserae?”

 

“Duh!  For the food!”

 

“But we don’t need it.  We’ve got mine.”  Peeta’s face was perplexed.  

 

“But it’s not enough,” Katniss protested.

 

“Sure it is!  I mean, I’m getting tesserae for five people and your mom’s working and things’ll get even better during the summer, especially once school gets out.”

 

“But you don’t know that.  And you won’t be there to save us next time.  We can’t count on people helping us.  We gotta help ourselves!”

 

“I’m not gonna let you starve,” Peeta said stubbornly.

 

“Then let me take out tesserae!”

 

“No.”  He pulled her to him, resting his forehead on hers.  “I don’t wanna lose you.”

 

“I don’t wanna lose you too!  Especially not since I just found you.”  She felt her nose start to run.  She hated that feeling.  

 

“Katniss, I don’t got a choice.  My mom’s gonna sign me up every year no matter what.  She’ll do it out of spite,” he said, his voice filled with resignation.  “So it’s better I beat her to it.  At least that way my name being in the Reaping bowl more times is actually worth something.”

 

Katniss made a face.  “But--”

 

“No buts.”  He pressed a kiss to her brow.  “If things are still bad in a few months, you can sign up later.  It’s not like you have to sign up right away.  Besides, you’re hunting now.  And we’re both gathering.  And there’s those nets we made, I’m sure we’ll start catching lots of fish.  We might not even need tesserae!  Not if we can do well.”

 

“Maybe.  We’ll see.  If things are bad in winter, I’m gonna sign up.  You can’t stop me.”

 

“We’ll talk about it later.”

 

They never did.

 

Between them, Katniss and Peeta were a good team.  While Peeta wasn’t very good at keeping his steps silent, once he knew what to look for, he had a good eye for finding edible plants.  In addition, he had the patience necessary for fishing.  So between them, they were able to collect a good amount of food.

 

And they had help.  In addition to Katniss’s mother’s work, Peeta’s father would often stop by early in the morning with a paper bag full of day-old bread.  They accepted it wordlessly, none of them willing to completely forgive the man, but unwilling to turn down food.

 

By the time October rolled around, they’d laid in a decent store of supplies.  Peeta and Prim offered to go out and pick apples and pears from the fruit trees scattered along the edge of the district just outside the fence, while Katniss tried to hunt some of the bigger, fatter game for preserving.  She was hoping to kill her first deer for Peeta’s birthday.

 

Not that she knew how she’d be able to get it home, but she and Peeta would figure out a way.  She just wanted to do something nice for her soulmate on his birthday.  After all, he’d given her a sketch of the two of them on hers.

 

She was so busy looking for game that it was only because of her increased vigilance that she saw it.  Just the hint of a wire hidden by a tangle of blackberry brambles.  

 

Katniss bent down to examine it.  It was a snare.  And not the typical slipknot ones she and her father used. She hadn’t had very good luck with that kind.  This one was different.  A few feet away she saw a rabbit dangling from a tree, so she got up to investigate it.  It looked like the same kind of trap that she’d just been looking at.  Clearly it was more effective than the one she’d been using.  

 

Maybe if she could figure out how it worked, she’d be able to catch more game.  Wouldn’t that make Peeta happy?  

 

Looking back and forth between the two, she tried to discern just how the snare worked.  It seemed to be a spring loaded kind of a device with a bent down sapling ready to yank the unsuspecting prey off its feet.

 

She took a step closer.  

 

“That’s dangerous,” she heard a male voice behind her.

 

Katniss jumped.  Those were her words!  

 

She whirled to see a tall handsome Seam boy a few years older than her walking through the woods like he owned them.

 

“What’s your name?” he asked.

 

“Katniss,” she said, her voice low.  She was still in shock.

 

“Well, Catnip, stealing’s punishable by death, or hadn’t you heard?”  

 

“Katniss,” she repeated, louder this time.

 

The boy stopped and stared at her.  “Aw hell.  It’s you.”

 

**oOo**

 

Katniss sat near the blackberry patch, looking at her new soulmate, Gale Hawthorne.  She knew who he was, of course.  His father had died in the same mine blast as hers.  It was funny, if you think about it, that they’d never spoken until now.  But here they were.  

 

“So, Catnip--”

 

“Katniss!”

 

“I like Catnip better.”

 

“It’s not my name.”

 

He tilted his head, shyly.  “It can be a special name, just for us soulmates.”  He seemed a little hesitant, like he wanted her permission.  

 

She gave in.  “Fine, I suppose.”

 

Gale smiled at her, causing her stomach to do weird flip flops.  Maybe she was hungry.  It was getting close to lunchtime.   

 

“So, Catnip, do you have two marks too?”

 

She nodded her head, thinking of Peeta.  “Yeah.  You?”

 

“Yeah.  I’m guessing you know who it is,” he said.

 

“Yeah, I’ve met them.”  Katniss was careful not to give too much away.  She didn’t want to spoil the surprise, although she wondered how Peeta’d react, knowing that their third was a boy.  They hadn’t really thought about it, always figuring it didn’t matter.  To her it didn’t.  But she didn’t know about Peeta or Gale.  She hoped they’d all get along.  

 

Gale sighed.  “I suppose I should’ve guessed it would be you,” he said, holding up his right wrist, revealing the word _*Katniss*_ written in dark green letters there.

 

“So why didn’t you say something to me?”

 

He shrugged.  “There was no guarantee it was you.  For all I know, the other person had on their skin ‘Who’s that girl?’ and they answered with your name.”

 

“Don’t tell me that you’ve been going around asking people that.”

 

“Maybe,” he replied ruefully.  “In my defense, I was really anxious to meet you two.  So can I?  Can I meet the other girl?”

 

Katniss nodded her head.  “I’ll take you to meet them.”

 

“Who is it?” Gale asked.  “I notice you haven’t said her name.”

 

‘It’s not a her,’ Katniss wanted to say, but part of her was looking forward to seeing Gale’s reaction to Peeta.  She shook her head.  “I don’t want to jinx anything.”

 

“Right.”  He ran his fingers through his hair, a nervous gesture.  “Makes sense.  Okay, lead the way.”

 

“Shouldn’t you finish getting your snares first?” she asked.

 

“Oh, right.  Yeah.”  He smiled at her ruefully.  “Thanks, soulmate.  You know, I think this is the start of a beautiful relationship.”

 

**oOo**

 

Katniss brought Gale back to her house.  She wasn’t sure when Peeta and Prim would be home, but it made more sense to wait for them here than anyplace else.

 

As she approached their house, she knew they’d come back.  The smell of freshly baked bread was unmistakable.  Ever since Peeta moved in, they’d had freshly baked bread every morning.

 

“Smells like our soulmate is a good cook.”

 

“They are.”

 

“Aren’t we lucky?”

 

“Yeah.  Yeah, we are,” Katniss said, agreeing with him.  She was sort of surprised he hadn’t noticed that she still wasn’t saying her or she.  But she guessed that Gale was just stubborn like that.  It made sense, considering his words on Peeta’s skin.  “You go on ahead,” she said.  “I need to check on something.”  She didn’t, not really, but she wanted to watch the meeting where her face wouldn’t give away too much.

 

Gale looked at her, but did as she asked, opening the door and entering the house.  Katniss followed behind him.

 

“Is that you, Katniss?” Peeta said, not bothering to look up from the pie he was working on.

 

“No way,” Gale responded, disbelief clear in his voice.

 

Peeta whirled, his mouth agape.  

 

“Happy birthday, Peeta?” Katniss said, grinning at him.  When she looked at Gale, he still looked a little shocked.  She bit her lower lip.  “Are you mad Peeta’s a boy?”

 

“Nah.  Not really,” Gale replied, shaking his head.  “Always thought I’d have two gorgeous women.  Guess I’ll just get used to having a gorgeous woman and a gorgeous man.”

 

Peeta grinned.  “Best birthday ever.”

  
**oOo**

**Author's Note:**

> AN:  
> Written: 11/5/15  
> Revised: 11/6/15
> 
> This was written for ldyglfr62 as a thank you for making it possible for FanficAllergy to read the Prompts in Panem fics without breaking her brain. We wanted to surprise you but weren’t sure what you’d like, but we noticed you liked “Let Me Fly” so we figured you’d be okay with something like that. We hope we picked right. 
> 
> The whole your soulmate’s first words being written on your skin was originated by Amusewithaview in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If you like MCU fics, go read hers. They are awesome. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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